Are you a mental health service user or carer?

Would you like to ask a question or raise an issue about KMPT services with senior management?

Andy Oldfield, Assistant Director for East Kent Community Services
Marie Gallagher, Service Manager for Shepway and Ashford Access Services
Howard Rowles, Service Manager for Shepway and Ashford Recovery Services

will be available to talk to you on 27th January 2012 from 2.30pm - 4:30pm
at

St Stephen’s Health Centre
St Stephens Walk
Ashford TN23 5AQ

The Power of Telling my Story

Help others learn from your experiences

Help services learn how to improve

A two day workshop for those who have a lived experience of mental health challenges. Those of us who have mental health challenges are strong, worthwhile people who have a story to tell which can encourage us, and those who hear it.

This two day practical workshop, led by trainers from Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, will cover:

• Recovery in mental health
• The recovery journey that we are all making
• The vital role and positive impact of ‘telling our story’
• The skills of story telling
• Opportunities for sharing our story to help further improve services

Building on your strengths and increasing confidence the course will equip you to tell your own recovery story; helping you to see the hero that you are.

Dates: 24th & 25th Nov, 2011  
Venue: Westgate Hall, Westgate Hall Road Canterbury. CT1 2BT 
Time: 9.30 - 4.45 each day

Travel expenses will be reimbursed and lunch and refreshments provided. For further information, or to apply to join this training please call or email Nick on 01227 812020

Carer Support Groups

Rethink Mental Illness have a Carer Support Group every 3rd Friday of the month at the


Ashford Gateway Plus
2:30pm - 4pm

All carers are welcome. The aim of the Support meetings is to facilitate networking of Carers in the area to encourage mutual support. Carers meet up in an informal environment and the group gives them the chance to discuss their roles and experiences within their Carer role. The Carer Groups are an effective tool in preventing isolation and promoting social inclusion.

Carer Groups provide support via publications, personal experiences and, on occasions, speakers are invited to attend to discuss a variety of areas that you may find useful within your caring role. The Carer Groups have proved to be highly effective and feedback has been very positive.

World Mental Health Day - Creative Arts Exhibition

To mark World Mental Health Day there will be an exhibition of many different types of art, including painting, poetry and photography, created by members of Speakupcic. We hope that it will serve in some way to raise awareness of mental health in Ashford.

Come along and join us on Monday 10th October at County Square Shopping Centre, Ashford from 9.00am to 6.00pm

Breaking down Mental Health Stigma within the local community

Ashford Users Forum forthcoming dates

The Ashford Users Forum invite you to share your experiences of using Mental Health Services in a warm friendly atmosphere, at the

Live It Well Centre
Canterbury Road
Ashford TN24 8QF

Meetings are on the first Thursday of the month at 11am, and the next meeting is on Thursday 1 September. Subsequent meetings are on 6 October, 3 November and 1 December.

If you need any more information contact Amanda on 01843 609 359 or via email

Ashford Users Forum Relaunch

Speakup CIC announce the re-launch of the Ashford Users Forum on Thursday 14 July. Come along to find out more about the Forum and about how to get involved. From 10:00-12:30 at the

Live It Well Centre
Canterbury Road
Ashford TN24 8QF

For more information speak to Maggie or Amanda on 01843 609 359.

See the flyer here.

Peer Support - the way forward

KMPT are holding an event aimed at both service users and staff considering how peer support is transforming mental health services in the UK, and how it can be put into action across Kent and Medway.

Thursday 7th July 10.00am - 4.00pm at

Lenham Community Centre, Groom Way,
Lenham, Near Maidstone ME17 2QT

For further information and an application form, see this flyer.

Changes to your Wellbeing Blog settings

Some improvements have been made to your local wellbeing blog.

Firstly, anyone can now comment on any of the posts. You do not have to be a registered user. So if you have something to say about anything you read here, let the rest of us know! 

Secondly, there are now two new ways to stay up-to-date with your local wellbeing blog, using two new options on the right hand menus, "Subscribe to" and "Follow by Email".

"Subscribe to" allows you to pick up a news feed with, amongst others Google Reader, My Yahoo and Atom RSS.

If that sounds complicated, the really easy option is "Follow by Email". Enter your email address, follow the simple verification instructions, and henceforth you'll get an email every time there is a new post!

Rethink East Kent Advocacy Service

A reminder that the Rethink East Kent Advocacy Service will be running a drop in for anyone wishing to access the advocacy service on the following dates and times in March and April:

Herne Bay Umbrella Centre - 31 March 2 - 4pm, and 28 April 2 - 4pm
Canterbury Umbrella Centre - 24 March 1 - 3pm, and 21 April 1 - 3pm
Whitstable Umbrella Centre - 5 April 12 - 2pm
Faversham Umbrella Centre - 14 April  12 - 2pm

For more information about Rethink and the services provided click here.

Changes in the NHS - What will it mean for YOU and your doctor?

This Kent LINk Community Engagement Event is your chance to find out what is happening to your health and social care services.


The formal meeting will start at 10.45am although refreshments will be available from 10.00am to give people an opportunity to socialise and network. See full information and book your free place here.

Wednesday, 23 March 2011, 10am - 3pm

The Camden Centre,
Royal Victoria Place
Market Square
Tunbridge Wells
TN1 2SW

Art Uniting People - Spring Exhibition

Art Uniting People is a non-profit organisation who have run two successful annual exhibitions in 2009 and 2010 to promote the talents of artists around Kent, including professionals, amateurs and those with mental health and physical disabilities. This year, for the first time, there is also a Spring Exhibition at


County Hall
Maidstone
ME14 1XQ



from 14th -28th March, 10:30am-4:30pm, Monday to Friday.


Entry is FREE

Tenterden Counselling Service

A reminder about the low cost professional counselling offered by the Tenterden Counselling Service, a non-affiliated charity founded in 1983 to provide a counselling service for Tenterden and the surrounding villages. Read more on their website, or call the confidential telephone number 0776 968 3347.

Learning from Experience 2 - How are we doing?

This event is for service users and carers and is a follow up to the actions that the Kent & Medway Partnership Trust have put into place since the National Patient Survey of last year.

Tuesday 15 March, 10:30am - 3:30pm

Upstairs lounge, The Salvation Army
74-80 Union Street
Maidstone ME14 1ED

Lunch is provided. Registration is required, so for more information see the flyer here or call Maria Duran on 01227 812034.

Wanted - service user representatives in Ashford

Speakup CIC (formerly the East Kent User Forum) have places for service users who would like to to learn to speak up about issues close to their hearts in the mental health system, and represent service users at key meetings such as the Locality Planning and Monitoring Groups and the Joint Commissioning Board.


You will be introduced to the role gradually and will have the opportunity to shadow a worker before you take on the role to see if you like it first. Your travel and lunch expenses will be met and you will gain skills in speaking up in groups and other relevant meetings.

If you are interested in this role there are a number of openings in Dover, Deal and Ashford. Maggie Gallant or Amanda Godley at Speakup CIC would like to hear from you on 01843 230 726.

Personal Development Fund - up to £500 for service users & carers!

A reminder about the Personal Development Fund, which is intended to promote the personal development of individuals living right across Kent whose lives have been directly or indirectly affected by severe or persistent mental ill health.

The fund has been able to pay for things like conferences and training courses, travel and accommodation for such events, art materials, Reiki training, laptops, printers and so on.

A panel of service users, carers and voluntary organisations meet every three months to decide on awards. For more information, see this flyer. To apply, download an application form in either Word or PDF format.

The scheme is funded by Kent County Council and administered by Sevenoaks Area Mind.

Your feedback on community mental health in Kent and Medway

Medway PCT, who lead the development of mental health services across Kent and Medway, are asking for your help in looking at how these services can be improved. They would like to ask service users and carers six simple questions about the services they are using - including what works, what doesn't work, and what are the key factors that make a good service.

This is a great opportunity to have your voice heard!

The survey can be completed very simply online here, or alternatively you can download the survey in Word or PDF format to complete and return by post or email.

Please make sure your voice is heard by Friday 18 March!

No Health without Mental Health

The government have published "No health without mental health - A cross-government mental health outcomes strategy for people of all ages." A news item on the Live It Well website gives details of where you can read this, and a sample of responses from relevant organisations.

Fit for Work Service

Fit for Work is a free service running across East Kent. The aim is to help individuals, who are employed but currently off work sick, to return to work. A team of occupational therapists, employment
specialists, psychologists and physiotherapists is available depending on the employees support needs.

More information in this flyer, or on the Eastern and Coastal Kent NHS website.